Question

6. Given that the distance to the Moon is 384000 km, and taking the Moon’s orbit around Earth to be circular, estimate the speed (in kilometers per second) at which the Moon orbits the Earth.

7. The baseline in Figure 0.19 in the textbook is 100 m and the angle at B is 60 degrees. Using the tangent function, calculate the distance from A to the tree

Ch. 1

Discussion Questions

2. The benefit of our current knowledge lets us see flaws in the Ptolemaic model of the universe. What is its basic flaw?

6. Why is Galileo often thought of as the first experimental scientist?

14. According to Newton, why does the Earth orbit the Sun?

Problems

2. How long would a radar signal take to complete a round-trip between Earth and Mars when the two planets are 0.7 AU apart?

4. An asteroid has a perihelion distance of 2.0 AU and an aphelion distance of 4.0 AU. Calculate its orbital

semimajor axis, eccentricity, and period (Very useful hint: see Figure 1.12 in the textbook).

5. (Extra Credit) Halley’s Comet has a perihelion distance of 0.6 AU and an orbital period of 76 years. What is its aphelion distance from the Sun (Figure 1.12)?

Given that the distance to the Moon is 384000 km, and taking the Moon’s orbit around Earth to be circular, estimate the speed (in kilometers per second) at which the Moon orbits the Earth.

Answer 1